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Showing posts with label Hip-Hop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hip-Hop. Show all posts

HIP-HOP INSPIRES A GENERATION: CHECK MY SAG!

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Monday, January 7, 2008 , under , , , |



Though this may not be the most constructive imitation of Hip-Hop culture, I do think that is important for us to realize how much we affect our generation across the world! Even with language barriers, our generation knows how to sag!!!

GAY CULTURE INVADES MAINSTREAM HIP-HOP: SO WHAT?

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 , under , , , , |




Okay, is it just me or has gay culture all of a sudden become mainstream fashion? I guess it has always been this way but never has it been more obvious than with the current hip-hop fashion culture. Chances are your favorite rapper is wearing a scarf right now that 15 years ago would have merited requests to come out of the closet.

Why am I bringing this up? Simply because I feel that it is important to note the irony of a culture that has been particularly homophobic to embrace what would have once been labeled obviously gay fashions. Should we be ashamed? No! We should embrace this growth and maturity as a culture. This is about having the courage to take risks and where what you feel best expresses your fashion sense. I know that this is just a trend to be replaced by another in the near, near future. The point here is let's start to mobilize as a community and start to use fashion as a way of expressing our own personal taste. If we all did this anyway, then there would be no real way to "read" into one person's style of dress and determine what he or she likes to do in the bedroom. I think that many of us are lazy. We want instant answers about people so we like to use outward characteristics like fashion, hair, makeup, jewelry, etc. to help us develop opinions about people that if we really cared about knowing the person we would simply take the time to know them.

If you want to get to know a person, stop looking at the clothes, the hair, and the walk as these things are simply the outermost shell. Take the time to get to know a person's heart and spirit and personality so that you can truly tell the content of a man's character. It shouldn't only be "okay" to wear scarves now because Jay-Z and Kanye and Young Jeezy wear them.

If everyone is thinking alike then someone isn't thinking

QUOTE ME: PRODIGY OF MOBB DEEP

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Saturday, December 15, 2007 , under , , , , |



After being sentenced to begin a 3 1/2 year prison bid for weapons charges on January 9, Prodigy of Mobb Deep had this to say about the present behavior of rappers:


"It's time to really, really wake up man," he said. "These n*ggas is murderin' us out here. They lockin' us up forever out here and we runnin' out buyin' jewelry, actin' like clowns in videos ... Like how can you be a f*ckin' buffoon in a video when this sh*t is goin' on in the world? It's time to f*ckin' snap out of that sh*t."

LYRICS & HIP-HOP: DIVIDE & CONQUER??

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Monday, August 13, 2007 , under , , , |




As the influence of Hip-Hop culture has grown around the world, so has the scrutiny of the very art form itself. In the past, there were attacks on the validity of the genre as an art form, and now, a resurrection of C. Dolores Tucker's battle due largely to the Don Imus controversy is at hand.

Last week, the Reverend Al Sharpton organized protests across the nation earlier this week, calling for the end of the music industry's government funding unless rap artists clean up their act(s). The reverend is specifically demanding the removal of the words "n***er/n*gga", "b***h" and "h*e/h*" from rap recordings.

Though I feel that our culture is being unfairly targeted as there are plenty of disrespectful words and phrases spoken in all genres of music, I do understand the "clean up our own house" mentality of our elder leaders in the larger Black Community.

What I don't understand is how our leaders are missing the bigger picture here. While there are many issues existing in our community that need our attention, there are far bigger fish to fry than the misogynistic and derogatory words used in some hip-hop songs. I am concerned at the new "beef" brewing pitting the older Civil Rights generation against the younger Hip-Hop generation. The media has become very adept lately at instigating divisions between people (ex. Beyonce vs. Jennifer and 50 Cent vs. Kanye) and ideals (use of N-words) in Black culture as a whole.

When our Black leaders attempt to censor the culture of their own sons and daughters, using the current media as a platform to pressure groups to make changes, they co-sign with groups and principalities that have never had our best interests at heart. What we are seeing is the divide between the younger and older generations. Many older Blacks happen agree with whites and others who do not understand hip-hop culture as a whole. They see the baggy clothes; they isolate and focus on the questionable lyrics and choices of some Hip-Hop artists and they judge what they do not understand. A classic example of this is the contextual use of the word "nigga" versus its origins in the word "nigger."

While I do feel it is important for hip-hop artists (the media calls them "rappers") to understand the the immense power they posses, the push by the older generations and those who seek to judge is towards censorship instead of education. We want to put a BAND-AID on a gunshot wound!

Artists could not release albums on major record labels (1) if there was not a market for their music and, (2) if record labels simply refused to release the material. Instead of making certain words taboo, why not focus on EDUCATION for both groups in society? If we focus on educating our young on the value of women and respectful behavior in general and we enlighten our artists about the great power and responsibility they have as cultural trendsetters, we would be less inclined to create/embrace music that we feel is negative or paints a negative light towards our people as a whole. It is NOT enough to say that "rappers should not take the place of parents." If I am creating music on some level for my people and I know that my people often are currently in cirumstances where there is NO family support and broken homes, I am a kind of "defacto parent." Rappers, take responsibility for the great blessing of success that has been bestowed upon you! And, if we similarly focus on educating our older generation about hip-hop and its use of the word nigga and other lyrics that are found to be questionable, maybe there would not be such a backlash because education and understanding will have been promoted at both ends of the spectrum.

Our cultural leaders, young or old, need to be aware of the divide & conquer strategy that has long been used to fuel violence and miscommunication between each other. We may belong to different generations as youth and elders (and all in between), but the mandate remains the same: we must believe that knowledge is power. When we throw darts in the media and seek to take (money) away from our people because we don't agree with the choices of others, we are not focusing on the ROOT causes, just the effects. Let's not treat the symptoms, let's heal the disease so that we can be whole.

HOMO THUG: A "positive" representation...

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Thursday, May 17, 2007 , under , , |





As a continuation somewhat of the post I made yesterday, I wanted to follow up with links to what I feel is a positive representation of sexuality in hip-hop. If you are not familiar with the HBO television series The Wire, get familiar.

Easily some of the post compelling television on TV, The Wire offers an honest look into some of the sub-cultures of hip-hop. What's even more groundbreaking is an Black man - who happens to be homosexual - is likely the most popular character on the show!

I have included links to three articles written on Omar Little (played by actor Michael Kenneth Williams) about how his groundbreaking character is making waves in our culture from pro athletes to average Americans.

HERE ARE THE LINKS:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=granderson/061116

http://www.planetout.com/entertainment/news/?sernum=219

http://www.thehighhat.com/Static/002/the_wire.html

Enjoy the rest of your Thursday!

Today on OPRAH - HIP HOP Community Responds to the Imus comments...

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 , under , , , |




Make sure you catch OPRAH today! The hip hop community led by Russell Simmons and various others will be on to discuss the fallout over the Don Imus comments. Is hip-hop promoting a culture that negatively represents Black women?

PASS THE TORCH - Is 30 really the new 20? - PART 3

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Monday, March 26, 2007 , under |



Here is the final part of our 3-Part series: Is 30 Really the new 20? - Pass The Torch. This is a continuation of the list of artists we think are ready to usher in a new generation of hip hop.

Shawnna – The very-underrated Shawna’s mic skills are top of the line! She, along with Remy and Jackie-O, are forming a supergroup and are recording for a 2007 release. Girls still don’t get the respect they deserve in hip hop. They obviously aim to change that. **UPDATE: Shawnna has reportedly left the supergroup to record another DTP album along with Ludacris. We hope to have more on this as we get more info!!

Remy Ma – She has a reason to be conceited. Remy won her way into the mainstream on the banger Lean Back and hasn’t looked back since. With the name of their supergroup tentatively titled Head Bitches In Charge, Remy is poised to top her past successes.

Game – Doesn’t it seem like Game is holding down the west coast new blood all by himself? With the late ’06 release of the Doctors Advocate, he is poised to continue strong in 2007.

Kanye West – Keeping the Roc alive, Kanye has elevated his game to astounding heights in just 2 album’s time! We know he isn’t afraid to speak his mind. With the follow up to 2005’s Late Registration due this year, Kanye’s Graduation is happening on his time.

Ludacris – In 2006, Luda successfully established himself as more than just a punchline rapper with Release Therapy. He has earned the right to be taken seriously. What’s next for the multi-platinum artist?

Young Jeezy – Young Jeezy certainly seems to be the people’s champ. With The Inspiration dropping to critical acclaim and the hood on his side, is Jeezy unstoppable?

Gucci Mane – With a sound, style and flow reminiscent of artists long gone (Eazy-E, anyone?), Gucci is very underrated and may be poised to take the nation by storm. We highly recommend checking out his latest album Hard to Kill, and find out for yourself!

MIMS – He’s hot because he is not afraid to go with what works! It’s not just the southern artists that are having their time to shine, it is also the southern production style, with its snaps, bass, and simplified melodies that are giving rappers time to speak their mind. Mims obviously recognizes this and gave Capitol Records its first #1 song since the early 90s. Can he keep his buzz alive?

Rich Boy – Alabama is officially on the map, thanks to Rich Boy, who is experiencing one hell of a push right now. He’s humble, talented, and business-minded and, by most accounts, has a really good album, not just 1 hot single. We expect big things from the kid, and he can deliver.

Did I forget anyone? Hit me up djsmoke1@gmail.com to let me know and I will respond in kind...Peace!

PASS THE TORCH - Is 30 really the new 20? - PART 2 -

Posted by DJ Plan.B on , under |



So if you were diggin me on my previous post on this topic (Is 30 really the new 20?), check out my list of artists that are ready to take to the next level in hip hop. Did I forget anyone? Hit me and let me know...

THE NEW BREED

T.I. – Leading the pack of the next generation is the King of the South, who has been giving us that fire for several years now. He is one of the few artists that can lay claim to consistently strong ALBUMS, as each one has produced several top ten singles. Look out for T.I. vs TIP coming soon.

Lil Wayne – Like T.I., Weezy has been laying his claim to lead the new blood as well. He is on everybody’s remix spitting hard. Look for The Carter III and the major label release of his album with Juelz Santana I Can’t Feel My Face this year.

Papoose – Holdin down the NY, Papoose seems to be destined for greatness. We appreciated him taking a stand in the Sean Bell shooting, releasing 50 Shots Just signed to a 1.5 mil contract with Jive, Paps is set to release his debut major label release, The Nacirema Dream before spring.

Juelz Santana – If you need him, just whistle! The Dipset’s Def Jam representative gets the best of both worlds. We have watched him grow before our eyes into a contender. Look for a new release Back to Business in 07!

***Stay tuned for PART 3, where we finish up our list of artists ready to take us to that next level***

Is 30 really the new 20?

Posted by DJ Plan.B on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 , under , |






So, 30 is the new 20. At least that’s what Jay-Z says. But let’s investigate this a little. As our Hip Hop Elite remain in the spotlight as they age (Jay-Z, Nas, Busta, E40, UGK, Diddy, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Lil Kim, Missy, Snoop…), their relatively unchanging popularity may speak volumes about the evolution of hip-hop culture. Or is it that the real power brokers behind the scenes have always been older, and that the industry is not a youth-driven as we would like to believe? In this era of hip hop, we seem to be somewhat reluctant to embrace new blood so far.

As the founding fathers of hip hop in the 70s and 80s like Grandmaster Flash, Big Daddy Kane and MC Lyte gave way to the then-new blood of the 90s like Tupac, Jay-Z, Snoop and Missy Elliott the torch was passed smoothly as our pioneers gave way to the evolution of our culture. So why are the artists who gained fame in the nineties not doing the same for today’s new blood? Is it because there are no qualified young contenders? That’s debatable at best. As our elite grow older, so does the original hip hop fans of the 70s and 80s. Our culture is getting a little older, and dare I say a little wiser.

Maybe this can be counted as a contributing factor to the backlash against the Snap and Hyphy movements: no longer do we want to hear “kids stuff.” No more “grab yo booty” music. No more kids’ crushing on each other. No more young relationships. To a large part of the hip hop generation, we’re not kids anymore. We are more aware of our communities and their needs. We realize that our success and failure as a generation and for generations to come falls on our collective shoulders. We are starting to take responsibility for ourselves. We want something real that has a legacy. And we want our music and culture to reflect that.

Hip hop is now getting the opportunity to be reflective. Much like the transition from a child to adulthood, hip hop now has the opportunity to reflect upon her life, and evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Many of the “conscious” rappers have touted that hip hop does not embrace positive images. Maybe we are now beginning to understand that we want music that celebrates how we live and how we want to live. The young d-boy has now given way to the older, wiser, sophisticate. The success of Jay-Z’s latest release Kingdom Come is maybe a testament to this new era. We appreciate that, at 38, Jay is not just making songs about what he used to do. He is talking about what he is doing and speaking on the transition that brought him to where he is today.

Our younger rappers’ inability to usher in a new era may lie in the fact that they are not saying anything that hasn’t already been said. And because of this, while we may like and appreciate the new blood, they have yet to find a way to change the game the way artists like NWA, Biggie, Tupac, Wu-Tang and labels like Death Row, Bad Boy and RocAFella did. If history is any indication, we are probably right on the cusp of a major shift in hip hop. And this shift may be lead by our now-veteran artists into a more balanced perception of what hip hop means: not just the rags, but the riches too.

*****Stay tuned for PART 2 where we will compile a list of artists we think are ready to take hip-hop to the next level!*****

Will the REAL DROP OUT please stand up?!?!?!?!

Posted by Im_A.King on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 , under , , , |




Dr. Donda West, mother and manager of hip-hop phenomenon Kanye West is set to release a book this spring entitled Raising Kanye. According to AOL Black Voices, the book will be co-written by best selling author Karen Hunter and is scheduled to hit shelves on May 15.

The book will tell Dr. West's story as a single mother and detail her struggles raising the infamous Kanye West from childhood on. A spokesperson from the publishers revealed that the book will also feature never before seen photos of both Kanye and Dr. West.

Note that Kanye’s mother, Dr West, who is more known for her role as Kanye’s manager, is also the former chairman of the English department at Chicago State University. She resigned from her position to take on the responsibilities as Kanye's manager. Hmmm, she had a fit when he dropped out of college to pursue a career in music but she later went on to quit her job as the CHAIRMAN of a collegiate department to be an artist manager….This should make for a really good book. Be on the lookout!